Causes of Homelessness

• Limited Housing Opportunities

• Family Violence

• Substance Addiction

• Mental/Physical Health Conditions

• Trauma

• Lack of Adequate Employment

Unfortunately, homelessness is especially common in Hawaii. Hawaii high cost of living, homeless from the mainland, drug use, and natural disasters like the recent Maui Fires.

“It really is going to require a multifaceted approach. There is no magic bullet. There is no one great project that we can come up with that's going to immediately take care of everything.”

— Mark Alexander, Executive Director of the Office of Housing in Hawaii.

Mental health struggles can be triggered by homelessness, and vice versa.
The way a person struggles with mental illness may lead to cognitive/behavioral problems that challenge their ability to maintain job and housing security. However, several studies suggest that those with mental illness can find themselves homeless as a result of poverty or lack of affordable housing.
Unfortunately, the combination of mental illness and homelessness can lead to an increased level of alcohol/drug use.

Top 3 leading causes of death in Oahu’s homeless population are substance abuse, suicide, and homicide
Oahu is the most populous island in Hawaii, home to the state’s capital and Marine Corps Base. Sadly, homelessness is rampant here. A report from the Hawaii Medical Examiners Office also found that nearly half of the 374 unsheltered homeless deaths were linked to effects of drug use. Suicide and homicide together accounted for another 10% of the deaths. Honolulu Medical Examiner Dr. Christopher Happy says: “It’s clear from the data that we gathered that living on the streets leads to an early death.”

income & Land prices disparity

The price of housing in Hawaii is a large factor in why the homeless population is swelling. Hawaii’s housing costs are extremely high and average incomes fail to meet criteria for rentals.

Minimum Wage

$10.20/hour
2019 Minimum Wage

$21,008
Annual Income at Minimum Wage

$525
Rent Affordable at Minimum Wage

Numbers from National Low Income Housing Coalition Out of Reach 2019 Report

The disparity between minimum wages and the housing wages demonstrate the extreme difficulty in finding affordable housing in Hawaii. For those who rely on minimum wage income, the price of housing and securing safe shelter can seem impossible.

NEWS: Hawaii crews clear homeless camps on Diamond Head slopes

From Honolulu Star-Advertiser (April 25, 2025)

State crews and a contractor cleared 45 illegal encampments this week from the slopes of Diamond Head, Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources officials said today. The sweep was part of regular quarterly cleanup on Division of State Parks lands, according to a DLNR news release. Officials said Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement officers cited three people his morning for being in a closed area of Diamond Head as part of the effort.

“Entry into closed areas on Diamond Head is difficult to enforce without circling the entire crater with an impenetrable barrier,” DOCARE Chief Jason Redulla said in the news release. “The mountain is porous, and there are countless routes for people to use.” Honolulu police were on stand-by today during the cleanup of makai lands, and state Department of Law Enforcement and multiple service agencies established an intake area in a nearby park, where anyone who was displaced could learn about assistance programs.

DLNR homeless coordinator Pua Aiu said that even if people who have lived on Diamond Head for years wanted to move to a shelter or transitional housing, there are not enough beds to support them all at once. “There is also a severe lack of beds for people needing mental health services or addiction treatment,” she said. DLNR officials said there are large amounts of camping gear and buckets of human waste that litter the slopes. Although DLNR expressed concerns for human health that the waste could flow into the ocean during rain, officials said its crews will leave the buckets due to safety concerns, presumably for the workers. “We appreciate the community’s patience with this issue,” Redulla said. He said there are hundreds of places grappling with the same issues, but there are no easy or ready solutions. DLNR’s leaders say regular cleanups will continue to be necessary without “broad-based community support, political will, and funding for more permanent solutions.”